Gaseous component identification with polymeric film sensor

ABSTRACT

A sensor having an interdigitated gate electrode field effect transistor (IGEFET) coupled to an electron beam evaporated copper phthalocyanine thin film is used to selectively detect parts-per-billion concentration levels of atmosphere contaminants such as nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ) and diisopropyl methylphosphonate (DIMP). The sensor is excited with a voltage pulse, and its time- and frequency-domain response are examined. The envelopes of the magnitude of the normalized difference frequency spectrums reveal features which unambiguously distinguish the NO 2  and DIMP exposures.

RIGHTS OF THE GOVERNMENT

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or forthe Government of the United States for all governmental purposeswithout the payment of any royalty.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to the field of gaseous component presencedetection and measurement by way of electrical conductivity changes.

The detection of low-level gaseous contaminants in the atmosphere and inother gaseous environments continues to be an important and evolvingchapter in the measurement art. In addition to the expected chemicalwarfare and defensive or protective apparatus implications of thistechnology, there exists a need for more convenient and reliableinstrumentation for the detection of unintentional or casual pollutantmaterials in the areas where people live and work. Two important andtypical classes of atmospheric pollutants falling within thesecomtaminated environment categories are the organophosphorus compoundsused for pest control, chemical warfare, and certain industrialpurposes, and the oxides of nitrogen, particularly nitrogen dioxide(NO₂), that are unintentionally admitted into the atmosphere fromautomotive exhaust, combustion stacks, high temperature combustionevents and other sources. Nitrogen dioxide is, for example, a knownconstituent of some ingredient decomposition reactions and, in fact, canbe used as a characteristic indicator associated with the progression ofthese decomposition reactions and ingredient status.

A significant portion of organophosphorus contaminants are found tocontain either the phosphoryl or thiophosphoryl group of atoms. Sincediisopropyl methylphosphonate (DIMP) is a phosphoryl containing compoundhaving low-toxicity, and significantly documented properties, it isconvenient for use as a model organophosphorus gaseous compound in thedescription of the present invention.

The coated bulk-wave piezoelectric quartz crystal microbalances andsurface acoustic wave transducers have recently been consideredcandidate technologies for detecting and measuring such pollutants asnitrogen dioxide, NO₂, and the organophosphorus compounds. These deviceshave been reported in various publications including the reports of E.P. Scheide and G. G. Guilbault in "Analytical Chemistry", volume 44,pages 1764-1768, 1972; W. M. Shackelford and G. G. Guilbault, in"Analytica Chimica Acta", volume 73, pages 383-389, 1974; Y. Tomita andG. G. Guilbault, in "Analytical Chemistry", volume 52, pages 1484-1489,1980; G. G. Guilbault, Y. Tomita, and E. S. Kolesar, Jr. in "Sensors andActuators", volume 2, pages 43-57, 1981; G. G. Guilbault, J. Affolter,and E. S. Kolesar, Jr. in "Analytical Chemistry", volume 53, pages2057-2060, 1981; K. H. Karmarker and G. G. Guilbault in "AnalyticaChimica Acta", volume 75, pages 111-117, 1975; and L. M. Webber, J.Hlavay, and G. G. Guilbault in "Mikrochimica Acta," volume 1, pages351-358, 1978.

Surface acoustic wave detection devices have similarly been reported byA. W. Barendsz, J. C. Vis, M. S. Nieuwenhuizen, E. Nieuwkoop, M. J.Vellekoop, W. J. Ghijsen, and A. Venema in "Proceedings of the IEEEUltrasonics Symposium", page 586, 1985; M. S. Nieuwenhuizen, A. W.Barendsz, "Electronic Letters", volume 22, pages 184-185, 1986; A.Venema, E. Nieuwkoop, W. J. Ghijsen, A. W. Barendsz, and M. S.Nieuwenhuizen in "IEEE Transactions on Ultrasonics, Ferroelectrics, andFrequency Control", volume UFFC-34, pages 148-154, 1987; M. S.Nieuwenhuizen and A. W. Barendsz in "Sensors and Actuators", volume 11,pages 45-62, 1987; M. S. Nieuwenhuizen, A. Nederlof, A. W. Barendsz in"Analytical Chemistry", volume 60, pages 230-235, 1988. Dectectors basedon coated bulk-wave piezoelectric crystal microbalances and surfaceacoustic wave devices are, however, found to have significantlimitations including a notable lack of sensitivity and undesirableresponse to moisture along with difficulty in reproducing identicalmeasurement results.

The concept of utilizing a chemiresistor or interdigitated electrodeelectrical resistance structure for monitoring impedance changes causedby a chemical reaction have also been reported in the technicalliterature by F. W. Kutzler, W. Barger, A. Snow, and H. Woltjen in "ThinSolid Films", volume 155, page 155, 1987. Similarly, epoxy curemonitoring and the interaction of NO₂ and organophosphorus compoundswith phthalocyanine films have also been considered as is evidenced bythe work of S. Baker, G. G. Roberts, and M. C. Petty in "IEEProceedings", Part 1, volume 130, pages 260-263, 1983; and by H.Wohltjen, W. Barger, and A. Snow, in "Proceedings of the IEEEInternational Conference on Solid State Sensors and Actuators", pages410-413, 1985; by H. Wohltjen, W. Barger, A. Snow, and N. L. Jarvis in"IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices", volume ED-32, pages 1170-1174,1985; by R. H. Tregold, M. C. J. Young, B. Hodge, and A. Hoorfar in "IEEProceedings", Part 1, volume 132, pages 151-156, 1985; T. Jones and B.Bott in "Sensors and Actuators", volume 9, pages 27-37, 1986; and P. M.Burr, P. D. Jeffery, J. D. Benjamin, and M. J. Uren in "Thin SolidFilms", volume 151, pages L111-L113, 1987.

It is important to note, however, that most of these previousinvestigations of the chemiresistor and phthalocyanine embodiments,thereof, have focused on the direct current electrical conductivitychanges in the chemically active film while only a few investigatorshave considered the alternating current behavior of these films and,notably, have considered this alternating current behavior only atspecific and single alternating current frequencies.

Additional evidence of previous gaseous component identificationinvestigations is also to be found in the patent art including thepatent of W. R. Barger et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,636,767, wherein aninterdigitated finger structure and a phthalocyanine film are used incombination with direct current excitation of the detecting cell for themonitoring of gaseous components. Also included in this art is thepatent of J. R. Stetter, U.S. Pat. No. 4,670,405, which considers thetime response of a plurality of sensor elements taken over time periodsmeasured in tens of seconds and processed in a microprocessor computer.

Also included in the patent art is the detection and measuring system ofP. K. Clifford described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,542,640 which includes aplurality of differing semiconductor gas sensor cells and apparatus formeasuring their electrical resistance and for processing the resultingsignals. In addition, the patent of R. H. Duhlgren et al, U.S. Pat. No.4,725,733, discloses an optically based detection arrangement forchemical warfare nerve agents, and the patent of E. J. Poziomek et al,U.S. Pat. No. 3,910,763, discloses a chemical reaction based detectionarrangement for organophosphorus compounds.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention concerns a detector that is suitable foridentifying gaseous components, such as organophosphorus compounds andnitrogen dioxide in a challenge gas mixture. Identification isaccomplished in the detector apparatus by way of the chemical reactionof these components with a thin film chemiresistive detecting element.According to a further aspect of the invention, excitation of thechemiresistive thin film element with a square-wave approximation to theideal impulse function, herein called simply "an impulse function", isemployed along with Fourier analysis of the resistive elements's timeresponse. Additional aspects of the invention include multiplexconsideration of plural detecting element signals of the described typefrom an array having a large number of elements, and therefore, anoverall unique response pattern for a plurality of challenge gascomponents.

It is an object of the present invention, therefore, to provide achemiresistor gas detection apparatus which employs a broad frequencyspectrum excitation voltage signal for the chemiresistor element.

It is another object of the invention to provide a chemiresistordetection apparatus that employs an impulse voltage signal as theexcitation source for the chemiresistor.

It is another object of the invention to provide a combined impulsevoltage signal excitation of a chemiresistive detection element and thecorresponding Fourier transform analysis of the chemiresistor's outputsignal.

It is another object of the invention to provide a chemiresistordetection arrangement especially adapted to the detection of the varietyof components in a challenge gas mixture.

It is another object of the invention to provide a chemiresistordetection apparatus that is especially adapted to the detection oforganophosphorus compound and nitrogen dioxide related gaseouspollutants.

It is another object of the invention to provide a gaseous pollutantdetection arrangement that is based on conductivity variations in a thinfilm chemiresistive sensing element.

It is another object of the invention to provide a thin film andinterdigitated electrode sensing element gaseous detection apparatusemploying the benefits of a locally disposed high-input impedance fieldeffect transistor amplifier.

It is another object of the invention to provide a chemiresistor gasdetection apparatus which employs a metal-doped phthalocyanine thin filmas a sensing element.

It is another object of the invention to provide a gaseous detectionapparatus which employs a copper phthalocyanine thin film material as asensing element.

It is another object of the invention to provide a chemiresistor gaseousdetection apparatus that is operative with both a minimal duration ofchallenge gas exposure and a short period of preconditioning.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an impulse andFourier transformation embodying chemiresistive detection apparatushaving a plurality of differently responding chemiresistive elementspecies capable of a collectively unique response to a plurality ofchallenge gas components.

It is another object of the invention to provide a chemiresistivedetection apparatus employing a plurality of detector element specieswhich may be conveniently integrated into a detection system through theuse of a microprocessor and multiplexing technique.

Additional objects and features of the invention will be understood fromthe following description and the accompanying drawings.

These and other objects of the invention are achieved by an apparatusfor monitoring gaseous concentrations in a challenge gas effluent whichincludes the combination of a gaseous sensor member having an array offirst and second interposed electrical conductors and an overlyingchemically-reactive polymeric thin film membrane member in electricalcontact therewith, the instantaneous electrical impedance between theconductors being determined by the conductivity of the thin filmmembrane member and means for exposing the thin film membrane member tothe challenge gas, and energy sourcing means having a harmonic richmultiple sinusoidal component waveform output signal for energizing thesensor member, and waveform analysis means including Fouriertransformation means for determining the spectral distribution of sensormember conductivity variation imposed modifications of the sourcingmeans signal in response to an unknown effluent exposure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows details of a chemiresistive sensing element according tothe invention.

FIG. 2a shows an impulse-like (square-wave approximation) excitationform useable in the FIG. 1 sensing element, and FIG. 2b shows itsFourier transformation waveform.

FIG. 3 shows the components of a challenge gas detection and measuringsystem which employs the FIG. 1 sensor element.

FIG. 4 shows the direct current resistance change expected in a FIG. 1sensor in response to two exemplary challenge gas components.

FIG. 5a shows a sensor excitation pulse and the amplified sensor elementoutput with air exposure.

FIG. 5b shows a sensor excitation pulse and the amplified sensor elementoutput with a first concentration nitrogen dioxide exposure.

FIG. 5c shows a sensor excitation pulse and the amplified sensor elementoutput with an air purge following FIG. 5b.

FIG. 5d shows a sensor excitation pulse and the amplified sensor elementoutput with a second greater concentration nitrogen dioxide exposurefollowing FIG. 5c.

FIG. 5e shows a sensor excitation pulse and the amplified sensor outputwith an air purge following FIG. 5d.

FIG. 5f shows a sensor excitation pulse and the amplified sensor outputafter a third greater concentration nitrogen dioxide exposure followingFIG. 5f.

FIG. 6a shows a sensor excitation pulse and the amplified sensor outputwith air exposure.

FIG. 6b shows a sensor excitation pulse and the amplified sensor outputwith a first concentration DIMP gas exposure.

FIG. 6c shows sensor excitation pulse and the amplified sensor outputwith an air purge following FIG. 6b.

FIG. 6d shows a sensor excitation pulse and the amplified sensor outputwith a second greater concentration DIMP gas exposure.

FIG. 6e shows a sensor excitation pulse and the amplified sensor outputwith an air purge following FIG. 6d.

FIG. 6f shows a sensor excitation pulse and the amplified sensor outputafter a third greater concentration DIMP gas exposure.

FIG. 7 shows normalized Fourier transformed difference waveforms for thenitrogen dioxide challenge gas concentrations in FIG. 5.

FIG. 8 shows normalized Fourier transformed difference waveforms for theDIMP challenge gas concentrations in FIG. 6.

FIG. 9 shows a multiple detector element modification of the FIG. 3system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 in the drawings shows an interdigitated gate electrode fieldeffect transistor (IGEFET) 140 that is signal coupled to anelectron-beam evaporated copper phthalocyanine (CuPc) thin film 138. Inthe FIG. 1 sensor arrangement, changes in the molecular structure or thechemical composition of the thin film shown in cutaway representativeform, at 138 in FIG. 1, are used to change the output signal of theamplifier stage which is embodied in the form of the field effecttransistor 140. The thin film 138 is capable of selective detection ofparts-per-billion (ppb) concentrations of gaseous pollutants such asnitrogen dioxide and DIMP.

The thin film 138 in the FIG. 1 sensor is preferably fabricated from acopper phthalocyanine material. Other materials from themetal-substituted phthalocyanine family, including the metals Ag, Co,Fe, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, Pb, Pd, Pt, and Zn, are possible substitutes for thepreferred copper in the FIG. 1 sensor-especially in sensors for otherchallenge gases. The electrical conductivity of metal-dopedphthalocyanine material films has been observed to increase uponexposure to electron acceptor challenge gases such as Boron Chloride,Boron Flouride, Chlorine, Nitrogen Dioxide, and organophosphoruscompounds. Copper phthalocyanine, in particular, is characterized by lowproton affinity, good resistance to dissolution by concentrated mineralacids, and sublimation at temperatures as high as 580° C. withoutdecomposition. This desirable stability performance has been attributedto the magnetic and electron spin resonance associated with the includedcopper-nitrogen double bond. The strong electron donor sites thatcomprise the planarly delocalized II-electron system in CuPc thin filmshas been postulated to be responsible for the experimentally observedelectron-acceptor gas exposure interactions and the correspondingelectrical conductivity changes experienced in this material. Sincenitrogen dioxide is reversibly adsorbed on heated copper phthalocyaninefilms at temperatures in the 100°-170° C. range, the interaction sitefor this material has been identified to be at the film'sintercrystallite interfaces, rather than involving a true bulk diffusionmechanism.

The interaction between copper phthalocyanine films and an electronaccepter gas is likely to result in a coordination bond; that is, a bondwhose energy is stronger than a purely adsorptive interaction, or lessthan 40 KJ/mole, but weaker than a true covalent bond and itsapproximately 300 KJ/mole energy. In the present invention, bothnitrogen dioxide and DIMP are found to be reversibly adsorbed on thecopper phthalocyanine film with nitrogen dioxide introducing a strongerelectrical interaction for an identical exposure concentration.

Considering now additional details of the FIG. 1 apparatus, the sensorin FIG. 1 is comprised of the interdigitated electrode structure,indicated at 100, in combination with the physically adjacent fieldeffect transistor 140. The transistor 140 may be of the conventionalmetal-oxide-semiconductor field effect design, or MOSFET type, with theelectrode structure 100 coupled to the gate terminal thereof. Theinterdigitated electrode structure 100 is composed of a driven electrodearray indicated at 106 in FIG. 1 and the guard ring element 110. Theguard ring is shown to envelope the entire sensor in order that itfunction as a stray surface current leakage blocking device.

The floating electrode portion of the interdigitated gate structure 100is indicated at 104 in FIG. 1 and is shown to be connected to the gateregion 105 of the transistor 140. The interdigitated electrode structure100 is provided with a high-degree of electrical isolation between thedriven electrode array 106 and the floating electrode array 104 by wayof fabrication of the interdigitated array on a highly-insulatinginsulating silicon dioxide layer 108. The physical extent of the silicondioxide substrate for the interdigitated array is indicated at 102 inthe FIG. 1 drawing. It is notable in FIG. 1 that the silicon dioxidesubstrate extends also under the conductive paths which connect with thepad 122 as is shown at 103 in FIG. 1. With a one micron thickness ofthermally-grown silicon dioxide, having resistivity greater than 10¹⁴ohm.centimeters, an electrical isolation between the arrays 104 and 106of greater than 100 megohms is possible.

The transistor 140 may be designed using the commercially availableMetal Oxide Semiconductor Implementation Service (MOSIS) 3-micrometer,p-well, double-metal, complementary-metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS)technology design aid sequence or similar techniques. The MOSIS serviceis available from Information Science Institute, University of SouthernCalifornia (USC/ISI), Marina del Rey, Calif. with release 3.0 beingcurrent at the time of writing. Additional related information is to befound in "Principles of CMOS VLSI Design-A Systems Perspective" atextbook authored by Neil Weste and Kamran Eshraghian and published in1985 by Addison-Wesley of Reading, Mass. Preferably an identicalreference transistor, which is not shown in FIG. 1, is located adjacentthe transistor 140 in order to facilitate post-fabrication performancecharacterization and subsequent monitoring of the operating stability inthe sensor cell. A p-well may be used to enhance electrical isolationbetween the interdigitated electrode structure and the transistor 140.

The transistor 140 is preferably of the n-channel enhancement-mode type.Gold or aluminum are preferred for use in the interdigitated electrodearray and in the bonding pads of the transistor 140; that is, the padsshown at 112, 118, 120 and 122 in the FIG. 1 structure. The overalldimensions of the FIG. 1 device are preferably on the order of 4466×6755micrometers with other significant dimensions and data being indicatedin Table 1 below. Excepting for the regions of the interdigitated gatestructure and the bonding pads, the top-most surface of the FIG. 1sensor is preferably passivated with a one micrometer thick layer ofchemically-vapor deposited silicon dioxide.

                  TABLE 1                                                         ______________________________________                                        SIGNIFICANT DIMENSIONS/DATA FOR FIG. 1                                        IGEFET SENSOR                                                                 STRUCTURE            NUMERIC VALUE                                            ______________________________________                                        Interdigitated Gate Electrode                                                 Number of fingers in the                                                                           29                                                       floating-electrode                                                            Number of fingers in the                                                                           30                                                       driven-electrode                                                              Electrode finger width (μm)                                                                     7.5                                                      Electrode finger separation (μm)                                                                9.0                                                      Interdigitated electrode array                                                                     3792                                                     length (μm)                                                                Interdigitated electrode array                                                                     921                                                      width (μm)                                                                 MOSFET Active gate length (μm)                                                                  12                                                       MOSFET Active gate width (μm)                                                                   15                                                       Phthalocyanine film thickness                                                                      70-1,000                                                 (angstroms)                                                                   ______________________________________                                    

The copper phthalocyanine chemically reactive film 138 is of thehigh-purity (99.9% purity) type and is fabricated from materialsavailable from such suppliers as Fluke Chemical Corporation ofRonkonkoma, N.Y. The film 138 is preferably deposited on the dielectricsupported interdigitated electrode structure 100 using a heliumcryogenically-pumped, electron-beam thermal evaporation process at apressure of 10⁻⁶ Torr vacuum. An etched metal mask may be used toconfine the deposited copper phthalocyanine thin film within theboundaries of the interdigitated electrode structure. Nominal filmthicknesses on the order of 70-1,000 angstroms may be used and may beverified using a precalibrated quartz crystal microbalance positionedcoplanar with the interdigitated electrode structure. Films of otherthicknesses may have certain performance advantages in the FIG. 1apparatus as is described below. The FIG. 1 sensor may be mounted in astandard 300 mil cavity size, 64-pin dual-in-line integrated circuitpackage of the type supplied by Kyocera Corporation of Edina, Minn., aspart #KD83578, for example. Other details of the transistor 140 shown inFIG. 1 include the drain contact structure 116 and the source contactstructure 114.

The sensor in FIG. 1 is preferably operated at a fixed temperature, suchas 125° C. and is enclosed by a housing which enables convenientdelivery of the challenge gas and also the purge gas to the film 138.The temperature control apparatus and housing for the sensor cell ofFIG. 1 may be in accordance with the arrangement of such apparatus as isknown in the art or may be in accordance with the apparatus described inmy previously published paper "Organophosphorus Compound Detection witha Supported Copper+Cuprous Oxide Island Film. 1. Gas-Sensitive FilmPhysical Characteristics and Direct Current Studies", which waspublished with R. M. Walser, appearing in Analytical Chemistry, volume60, pages 1731-1736, 1988, the contents of which are hereby incorporatedby reference herein. A manifold structure as known in the art may alsobe used to facilitate switching between the various challenge and purgegases.

The electrical components shown in connection with the sensing cell inFIG. 1 provide the signal coupling and characteristic curve operatingpoint determinations needed for the transistor 140. These electricalcomponents include the direct current supplies 128 and 134, which areindicated as variable voltage batteries; the current-limiting resistance132 connected between the transistor gate and the gate biasing directcurrent supply 134; and the drain load resistance 130 which is coupledto the drain to source biasing direct current supply 128. The outputsignal (V_(o)) for the transistor 140, of course, appears across theresistance 130 as is indicated at 142 in FIG. 1. The excitation pulsegenerator circuit for the interdigitated and thin film covered electrodearray is indicated at 126 in FIG. 1; as described below, this source ispreferably arranged in the form of an impulse-like pulse generatingcircuit. Any direct current signal component present in the signal fromthe excitation generating circuit 126 is blocked by the couplingcapacitor 124 which is located between the excitation generating circuitand the driven component 106 of the interdigitated electrode array.

The use of high-impedance loading for the interdigitated chemiresistorportion of the FIG. 1 sensing cell is a desirable feature of the FIG. 1apparatus. Both the desire for this high-impedance loading and the needto minimize stray signal coupling and stray leakage into the signalcoupling paths suggest the FIG. 1 arrangement of using a field effecttransistor as the chemiresistor element's load and also make thephysical disposition of this transistor in close proximity with thechemiresistor cell a desirable arrangement. As a result of thenegligible current flow into the gate terminal of a field effecttransistor, the effective input impedance of the transistor 140, thatis, the load presented to the chemiresistor portion of the FIG. 1 cell,is essentially the value of the current-limiting resistance 132, or 20megohms. Other amplifier arrangements which achieve this desiredhigh-impedance loading are, of course, possible and may be arranged bypersons skilled in the electronic art. According to one other sucharrangement, the transistor 140 could be replaced with a high-inputimpedance multiple transistor amplifier circuit, such as an operationalamplifier, having its positive input terminal connected to thechemiresistor cell. Similarly, with the use of high quality connectingcables, a remote location for the transistor 140 may also be feasible.

When fabricated according to the above described features, transistorsof the type shown at 140 in FIG. 1 are found to be capable oflow-frequency gains in the range of 11 to 13 dB. This characteristic maybe measured with instruments such as the model 4145 semiconductorparameter analyzer available from Hewlett-Packard Corporation of PaloAlto, Calif. With a gate to source voltage (V_(GS)) of ten volts, theMOSFET transistor provides transconductance or g_(m) values in the rangeof 0.133 mhos. With a gate bias of 2.5 volts, the drain-to-sourceon-resistance of the transistor 140 (r_(D)) is in the range of 130kilohms. With these values of gm, r_(D), and a 100 kilohms drain biasresistor 130 in FIG. 1, the direct current gain of the MOSFET may becalculated to be in the range of 15 dB. By way of comparison, the gainof the above referred-reference MOSFET devices fabricated concurrentlywith the transistor 140 is found to be one dB greater than these values,a condition which may at least partially be explained by the differencebetween the two gate electrode geometries. The three-dB cutoff-frequencyof a MOSFET of the type shown at 140 in FIG. 1 is found to be on theorder of 10 kilohertz with the phase-lag characteristic decreasing from180degrees at low frequencies to nearly 90 degrees at a frequency of 100kilohertz.

The chemically-active thin film 138 is controlling of the transistor 104operation in the FIG. 1 apparatus. In order to selectively detectphysiologically detrimental concentration levels of an organophosphoruschemical warfare nerve agent, a challenge gas must induce a measurableelectrical response in the FIG. 1 polymeric thin film 138 while in thepresence of other interfering species. In the FIG. 1 detector, thisrequirement implies that the sensor's output response signal, which mayinclude contributions arising from several different gaseous species,nevertheless possesses a dominant contribution from the primary specieswhich include, S_(x), (that is, the organophosphorus chemical warfarenerve agent or analog compound) relative to that of the interferingspecies, S_(i). That is, an explicit form of the well knownEisenmann-Nikolskij equation, which is recited, for example, in thearticle "Chemical Selectivity of Field Transistors", in "Sensors andActuators", volume 12, pages 121-128, 1987 and authored by J. Janata;when cast in terms of the sensor's output voltage response signal(V_(o)) and equilibrium constant, (K_(i),x is:

    V.sub.o =V(S.sub.x,ΣK.sub.i,x S.sub.i).

Further, the interaction of the species of interest, S_(x), with thechemically-active polymeric thin film can be expressed in terms of ageneral equilibrium equation involving its equilibrium constant K_(x).That is, ##EQU1## where ΔG_(x) ° is the Gibb's free energy, R is theuniversal gas constant and T is the absolute temperature in degreesKelvin. Further, the Gibb's free energy (ΔG_(x) °) is composed ofenthalpic (ΔH_(x) °) and entropic (-TΔS_(x) °) energy contributions,given by:

    ΔG.sub.x °=ΔH.sub.x °-TΔS.sub.x °.

For a selective response, the Gibbs's free energy, ΔG_(x) °, for thespecies of interest, S_(x), must be greater than that for anyinterfering species, S_(i), or combination thereof (ΣK_(i), x S_(i)).Thus, the chemical and thermodynamic selectivity performance featurerequires a large negative value of the interaction enthalpy or a largepositive value of the interaction entropy for the species of interest,or both.

In the context of the detector described herein, the chemical andthermodynamic selection rule can be optimized for a system where thespecies of interest chemisorbs on the surface of the chemically-activepolymeric thin film. Since the chemical and thermodynamic interactionenergies are inversely proportional to the interaction distanceseparating the species of interest and the chemically-active polymer(typically on the order of 5 to 50 angstroms), this requirement impliesthat the interacting molecule has to approach the binding site veryclosely. This situation will occur only if the shape of the interactingmolecule fits the shape of the available binding site.

Finally, if the interaction is highly selective, the short-rangeinteractions will combine in a cooperative manner to produce a largeresponse signal, meaning that the individual, relatively weak,short-range interactions favorably combine to yield an overall stronginteraction relative to the net response of all the other competingspecies (that is, the interferants). This requirement can only occur ifthe interaction moieties possess a precisely defined spatialorientation. One such system involving the metal-doped phthalocyaninesemiconducting polymers and the organophosphorus chemical warfare agentsand their analog compounds (such as DIMP) and is disclosed by Robert L.van Ewyk, Alan V. Chadwick, and John D. Wright, in the article "ElectronDonor-Acceptor Interactions and Surface Semiconductivity in MolecularCrystals as a Function of Ambient Gas", appearing in the Journal of theChemical Society, Faraday Transactions I, Vol. 76, No. 10, pp 2194-2205,1980.

The metal-doped phthalocyanines possess several additional propertieswhich make them attractive for toxic gas detection. They are relativelygood electrical conductors with resistivity on the order of 10¹¹ohm.centimeters, are stable at temperatures up to 450° C., and can bedeposited as thin films by vacuum thermal sublimation orLangmuir-Blodgett techniques. Ewyk et al, have established that thephthalocyanines are hole (p-type) conductors and are suitable fordetecting electron-accepting gases, such as nitrogen dioxide. A similarsuitability appears to exist for DIMP. The conductivity enhancementobserved when the electron-accepting gas adsorbs on the polymer'ssurface involves an electrophillic interaction with the extensiveπ-orbital system of chemical bonds in the metal-doped phthalocyaninemolecule.

When an electron-accepting gas molecule is chemisorbed on themetal-doped phthalocyanine thin film, the adsorption site becomesnegatively charged. This situation increases the localized holeconcentration in the metal-doped phthalocyanine thin film. As a result,with all localized hole concentration contributions considered, theoverall conductivity of the metal-doped phthalocyanine thin filmincreases. Of special interest in the herein described sensor, themetal-doped phthalocyanine polymers also demonstrate a significantselectivity and sensitivity to the organophosphorus chemical warfarenerve agent analog compound, diisopropyl methylphosphonate (DIMP) andsimilar agents at operating temperatures on the order of 120°-150° C.The chemical interaction kinetics are governed by the well-known Elovichrate equation (see the Robert L. van Ewyk et al 1980 article citedabove).

Since the conductivity enhancement effect is predominantly a surfacephenomenon, ultra-thin films are specifically desired; films on theorder of 70-130 angstroms thick. This thickness specification minimizesthe contribution of the material's bulk absorption effects and, in asynergistic fashion, further manifests its desirability through thesensor's reversibility performance feature. That is, if thickmetal-doped phthalocyanine films of thickness greater than 500angstroms, are exposed to DIMP at 120-150 degrees Celsius, thereversibility time of the sensor will be on the order of several tens ofminutes (usually at least twenty minutes). On the other hand, thereversibility of an ultra-thin film of this specification is typicallyless than two minutes. Further, since vacuum thermally sublimated filmsyield a disordered metal-doped phthalocyanine thin film, theLangmuir-Blodgett deposition technique is preferred because it yieldsmono- and bimolecular layers possessing a highly-ordered structure. Thiswell-defined morphological feature readily facilitates both theadsorption and desorption of the DIMP molecule, and is manifested by afurther shortening of the reversibility time, thereby times typicallyless than one minute are achievable.

FIG. 2a in the drawings shows specific details of a signal which may beused to simulate the impulse function desired for exciting thechemiresistor portion of the FIG. 1 sensing cell, that is, anarrangement of the signal generated by the source 126 in FIG. 1. Withrespect to this FIG. 2a signal, the theoretical aspects of the impulsesignal, especially the broad spectrum of sinusoidal components includedin a signal of this nature, are well known in the electrical art. Onedescription of the impulse signal appears in the text "InformationTransmission Modulation and Noise" authored by Mischa Schwartz andpublished by McGraw Hill Book Company which is hereby incorporated byreference herein. Section 2-11 of the Schwartz text is, for example,relevant to this signal. A mathematically precise embodiment of animpulse function signal includes a pulse of infinitely great amplitudeand infinitely short pulse duration. However, practical implementationsof this type of excitation are necessarily compromised in reality. Onesuch practical compromise signal which is found to provide acceptablesignals for the FIG. 1 apparatus is the signal 200 in FIG. 2a. Asindicated by the scale 202 in FIG. 2a, the signal in FIG. 2a is providedwith an amplitude in the range of 4 volts, such signal amplitude isconvenient for electronic generation and for use in the transistor 140.In keeping with the desired small pulse width of an impulse functionsignal, the pulse duration of the FIG. 2a signal as indicated at 204, ispreferably made to be some brief duration such as the indicated 50microseconds; the interval between pulses is made to be significantlylonger as is indicated by the 3.85 millisecond time between pulses whichis indicated at 206. The relative scales of the 50 microsecond and 3.85millisecond time intervals are distorted in FIG. 2a as is indicated bythe break lines 208. Signals of the type indicated in FIG. 2a are withinthe capability of commercially available pulse or function generatorinstruments, a Wavetek Corporation model 148 function generator, forexample, may be used as the FIG. 1 signal source 126. The Wavetekinstrument is manufactured by Wavetek Corporation of San Diego, Calif.

The FIG. 2b portion of FIG. 2 shows the normalized Fourier transformfunction for the FIG. 2a excitation pulse (square wave) signal. TheFourier transform function at 212 is displayed on a vertical scale ofrelative magnitude indicated at 210 relative to a horizontal scale offrequency having units of Hertz as indicated at 214 in FIG. 2b. Datapoints along the Fourier function 212 are spaced at 480 Hertz frequencyintervals in FIG. 2b. As is explained in greater detail below, therecognition of gaseous components in a challenge gas with the presentinvention involves a subtractive data manipulation of both the FIG. 2bFourier function and the related signals to be generated from the outputof the FIG. 1 sensing cell.

FIG. 4 in the drawings shows the direct current electrical resistance ofa FIG. 1 type chemiresistor when exposed to different concentrations ofthe herein referred-to DIMP and nitrogen dioxide challenge gases. TheFIG. 4 data represents nitrogen dioxide and DIMP concentrations in therange of 20 to 400 parts-per-billion (ppb) and 40 to 4000parts-per-billion (ppb) respectively as shown along the scales 404 and410. These FIG. 4 resistance values are shown on the scales 406 and 408and represent characteristics occurring at a 125° C. temperature andwith a thickness of the film, 138 in FIG. 1, of 1000 angstroms.

The data in FIG. 4 is a result of a sequence of exposing events with thetimes for purging and exposing being artificially elongated to 20 and 30minutes of duration in order to assure the attainment of an equilibriumresponse.

In obtaining the curves 400 and 402 in FIG. 4, it is to be noted thatthe chemiresistor of FIG. 1 may not provide reproducible data valuesduring the first three cycles of an exposure and purge sequence;however, after these early fluctuations, rapid convergence toward a setof reproducible initial, final and delta resistance values is achieved.Consequently, preconditioning of the phthalocyanine films using asequence of three 30-minute duration low-concentration level exposureand purge cycles is desirable for the FIG. 1 sensor cell. It is alsoobserved that the time required to attain equilibrium initial and finalresistance values in a FIG. 1 type of chemiresistor may be expected todecrease after the preconditioning process is accomplished.

For both of the typical challenge gases considered herein, theresistance of the FIG. 1 film rapidly decreases and can be expected toachieve 63% of its final value during the first 3 minutes of an exposurecycle. Afterwards, the resistance of the film can be expected todecrease toward an equilibrium value, but at a much slower rate. Uponpurging of the challenge gas, the film's resistance rapidly increasesduring the first five minutes of time to achieve 63% of its final value.Afterwards, the resistance continues to increase toward an equilibriumvalue, but also at a much slower rate.

The film equilibrium values resulting from DIMP exposure are essentiallylinear over the FIG. 4 identified concentration range. The resistancevalues for the more electro-negative and physically smaller nitrogendioxide challenge species are, however, both nonlinear and attended byan increased resistance change to gas concentration sensitivity. Fromthe slopes of the least-squares fitted nitrogen dioxide and DIMPexposure representing plots, it can be surmised that an 800parts-per-billion (ppb) DIMP challenge concentration would be requiredto induce an equivalent resistance change to that expected for a 30parts-per-billion (ppb) nitrogen dioxide challenge concentration.

The preconditioning behaviour described above suggests that during anexposure, the challenge gases displace less tightly bound gaseousspecies, such as oxygen, at the surface of the phthalocyanine film. Thischaracteristic and the observed shortening of the time incrementrequired to obtain a reversible response is consistent with theheterogeneous intercrystallite interface surface site adsorption modeldiscussed herein. In view of this kinetically limited adsorptionbehavior, use of isothermal preconditioning of the FIG. 1 chemiresistorand the above described pulsed-mode sampling of the challenge gases isdesired; that is, the preconditioning and purging cycle describedherein, are desirable in order to accommodate the variable response timeneeded to achieve a thermodynamic equilibrium surface coveragecondition.

FIGS. 5 and 6 in the drawings show a series of voltage waveformsobtained with the FIG. 1 sensor apparatus in response to a plurality ofexposures of the nitrogen dioxide challenge gas-in the FIG. 5 waveforms,and the DIMP challenge gas-in the FIG. 6 waveforms. The apparatus usedin obtaining the FIGS. 5 and 6 waveforms, and also used in obtaining thedata plots of FIG. 4, is shown in FIG. 3 of the drawings and isdescribed in a later portion of this specification.

The waveforms shown in the lower portions of each view in FIGS. 5 and 6are measured across the 100 Kilohm output load resistance shown at 130in FIG. 1 and were collected following a series of 30-minute durationexposure and purge cycle events and preconditioning with low-levelchallenge gas exposure as described above. Following the nitrogendioxide exposure which results in the FIG. 5 data, a 24-hour purgesequence was employed before the DIMP exposure for the waveforms of FIG.6 were collected. A copper phthalocyanine film is used at 138 in FIG. 1for each of the FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 waveform sequences. In the six viewsof FIG. 5 and in the six views of FIG. 6, that is, in FIGS. 5a-5f and inFIGS. 5a-5f, the upper-most pulse waveform defines the signal applied tothe bonding pad 122 in FIG. 1; that is, the signal originating in thesource 126 and applied to the driven electrode of the electrodestructure 100. The lower waveform in each of these FIG. 5 and FIG. 6views represents the FET transistor amplified output of the thin filminterdigitated electrode structure 100 in FIG. 1 in response to thedifferent challenge gas or purge gas exposures. The purge gas exposuresare shown in the left-most or FIGS., 5a, 5c, and 5e views in FIG. 5, andsimilarly, in the views of FIGS. 6a, 6c, and 6e in FIG. 6.

In FIG. 5a, for example, the lower waveform 502 represents sensorexposure to ambient air following a preconditioning sequence while thelower waveform in FIG. 5b represents exposure to a 100 parts-per-billionconcentration of nitrogen dioxide. The lower waveform in FIG. 5crepresents a succeeding purge with ambient air, and the lower waveformin FIG. 5d represents a 200 parts-per-billion nitrogen dioxide exposure.In a similar manner, the lower waveform in FIG. 5e represents a purgewith ambient air and the lower waveform in FIG. 5f represents anexposure to 400 parts-per-billion nitrogen dioxide. Similarly in FIG. 6the lower waveforms of FIGS. 6b, 6d and 6f represent exposures tochallenge gases containing a 100 parts-per-billion DIMP component, an800 parts-per-billion DIMP component, and a 4000 parts-per-billion DIMPcomponent, respectively. The waveforms of FIGS. 6a, 6c, and 6e in asimilar manner represent the preceding and intervening purges withambient air.

In each of the FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 views, the upper waveform, that is, theinterdigitated array excitation pulse, is shown on a horizontal scalewith 4 volts-per-division; and a vertical scale with 50microseconds-per-division; the excitation pulse is thereby shown to havean amplitude of 4 volts and a duration of 50 microseconds. For each ofthe lower waveforms in FIGS. 5 and 6, the vertical scale indicated at506 is 0.2 volts-per-division and the horizontal scale is the same 50microseconds-per-division.

Although the time-domain responses for each of the challenge gasmixtures in the waveforms of FIGS. 5 and 6 are indeed different, as isexemplified by the different amplitudes and slopes in the lowerwaveform, a meaningful criterion for differentiating between differentgas concentrations and different gas species acting on the sensor thinfilm element is not readily apparent from the FIGS. 5 and 6 waveforms.This ambiguity is attributable to the major similarities in thewaveforms for different concentrations and gaseous species. To improveupon this lack of distinction, a signal processing technique is employedin the present apparatus wherein the magnitude of the normalizeddifference Fourier transform of the waveforms of FIGS. 5a and 5b is usedto provide a clear distinction between sensor output waveforms.

Since the relative slopes of the leading and trailing edges in the lowerwaveforms of the FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 views are distinct, and furthermore,because the peak of each of these response waveforms changes fordifferent exposure concentrations, it has been found that Fourier'stheorem may be applied to determine the ensemble of frequency componentsthat determine the lower waveform's time-domain dielectric relaxationresponse. The time-invariant and reversible behavior of the copperphthalocyanine to the nitrogen dioxide and DIMP challenges are enablingof this signal processing arrangement because it provides a commonbase-line for comparing normalized difference spectra. Normalization inthe sense used here means, of course, that the waveforms are confined toa consistent and common vertical axis scale by way of dividing theiramplitude values at each time location by the peak amplitude found inthe spectrum of the waveform. According to this arrangement, eachconsidered waveform will have a peak normalized amplitude of 1.0 withthe other waveform values being scaled downward from this peak value soas to also maintain the original shape of the waveform.

The normalized difference Fourier transform spectra associated with eachof the FIGS. 5b, 5d, and 5f challenge gas concentrations is shown inFIG. 7 of the drawings. In FIG. 7, the curves 700, 702, and 704represent the respective different challenge gas concentrations-inaccordance with the legend shown at 710 and with numeric values asindicated along the vertical and horizontal scales 708 and 706 in FIG.7. In a similar manner, the normalized Fourier transform spectraassociated with the DIMP challenge gas waveforms of FIGS. 6b, 6d, and 6fare shown respectively in the curves 800, 802 and 804 of FIG. 8 inaccordance with the legend 810 and with amplitudes and time features asmeasured along the vertical scale 808 and the horizontal scale 806.

Clear distinction between the curves in FIGS. 7 and 8 are readilydiscernable, for example, the first peak of the nitrogen dioxideresponse occurs at a frequency of approximately 1000 Hertz while thefirst peak for the DIMP response occurs at approximately 3400 Hertz.Additionally, the rise and decay rates associated with these first peaksare more pronounced in the case of the nitrogen dioxide spectra. Boththe nitrogen dioxide and DIMP spectra also contain a secondary peak withthe nitrogen dioxide secondary peak occurring at approximately 8200Hertz, while the DIMP secondary peak occurs in the range of 25kilohertz.

These relatively low-frequency resonant peaks also suggest that along-range dielectric polarization interaction is being facilitated bythe adsorbed challenge gases in the FIG. 1 sensing cell. Qualitatively,the electronic and steric features of the challenge gases, along withthe interstitial crystallite adsorption model discussed earlier, arepostulated to account for the observed interfacial dielectric relaxationbehavior. The heterogeneous nature of the challenge gas adsorptionprocess and the disordered grain-boundary nature of the copperphthalocyanine films require an extended set of data in order toquantitatively treat the interaction mechanism present in the FIG. 1sensor cell.

FIG. 3 in the drawings shows one arrangement for an apparatus that iscapable of characterizing the challenge gas exposure performance of asensor cell of the type shown in FIG. 1. The apparatus of FIG. 3 mayalso be used in the collection of challenge gas identification data ofthe type shown in FIGS. 5, 6, 7, and 8 herein. In the FIG. 3 apparatus,the interdigitated thin film sensor of FIG. 1 is shown at 300 while thetransistor 140 in FIG. 1 is represented at 304 and the transistorbiasing components shown in the lower portion of FIG. 1 are indicated at306 and 308. The signal from the thin film and interdigitated electrodestructure 300 is communicated to the transistor 304 by way of the pathindicated at 302, this path representing the short interconnectionbetween the transistor's gate and floating array electrode elements inFIG. 1. The pulsed excitation signal source, that is, the impulse-likeexcitation for the thin film and interdigitated electrode structure isshown at 320 in FIG. 3 and is presumed to provide an impulse-like signalsuch as the 4-volt peak-amplitude and 50-microsecond duration 256 hertzrepetition frequency signal described above and shown in FIG. 2a.

The output signal of the transistor 304, that is, a signal appearingacross the load resistance 130 in FIG. 1 is applied to the array ofsignal processing instruments indicated at 312, 314, 316, and 318 inFIG. 3 by way of the communication path indicated at 310. Since thedesired Fourier transform data is a substracted signal, that is, thedifference between the thin film detector cell input and output signals,the input signal to the detector cell is also provided to the Fouriertransform analyzer 314 by the way of the path 310 and paths 332 and 334.The two different input channels of the Fourier transform analyzer 314and also of the oscilloscope 316 are indicated by the Ch1 and Ch2notations in FIG. 3.

The FIG. 3 instruments include a gain and phase analyzer 312 which maybe of the type manufactured by Hewlett-Packard Corporation under theidentification of model HP4194A and a dual channel Fourier transformanalyzer, 314 which may be a model 2032 analyzer manufactured by Brueland Kjaer Instruments Incorporated of Marlborough, Mass. For conveniencein viewing the signals being processed and indeed for generating arecord of the type shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 herein, the processedinformation, information on the path 310 and paths 330 and 336, may beviewed with an oscilloscope as is indicated at 316 in FIG. 3. Anoscilloscope, such as the Tektronix Corporation model 475, may beemployed for this purpose. The excitation signal information shown inthe upper waveform of each view in FIGS. 5 and 6 is provided to theoscilloscope 316 by way of the path 330 connecting with the energizingpulse generator 320. For permanent storage of the information flowingalong the paths 330 and 336 and path 310 and to enable additionalanalyses of this information, a microprocessor data acquisition systemindicated at 318 may be used. A Zenith Data Systems Corporation modelZ-248 microcomputer equipped with an IEEE-488 interface module, model01000-60300, as manufactured by Capital Equipment Corporation ofBurlington, Mass., may be used as the computer 318. The computer 318 isespecially desirable for the purpose of storing input and output signalsin both the time-and-frequency-domains, as well as calculating thenormalized difference Fourier transform spectra in the FIG. 3 apparatus.The gain phase analyzer 312 in FIG. 3 is used to periodically check andinitially establish the gain of the transistor (304) as is establishedvia the two biases (306) and (308).

The direct current conductivity information for the thin film detectorcell, that is, the information shown in FIG. 4 of the drawings herein isobtained in the FIG. 3 apparatus by way of the electrometer instrumentshown at 328. As is indicated by the arrows 324 and 326, a temporaryconnection of the electrometer instrument 328 to the thin film detectorcell is contemplated since the input characteristics of an electrometerinstrument are incompatible with the pulse excitation signal used in theprocessing of challenge gas information.

FIG. 9 of the drawings shows a system of the FIG. 3 type which alsoincludes additional components useful in the actual identification ofunknown components in a challenge gas, and in the determination ofconcentrations of the challenge gas unknown component. New to the signalprocessing apparatus in FIG. 9 is the array of detector elements 900,the electronic muliplexer circuit 914, the apparatus for dosecalculation of block 920, and the apparatus for performing challenge gasidentification concentration and alarm triggering of block 932. The FIG.9 apparatus also includes a spectra library or memory apparatus in theblock 924 and a plurality of identified signal communication paths.

During operation of the FIG. 9 apparatus, each of the detector elements902, 904, 906, and 908 are provided with a different type of achemically-active film of the metal-doped phthalocyanine or other typein order that the electrical conductivity response of the overall array900 be unique for each different challenge gas mixture andconcentration. As indicated by the "N" legend in the detector blocks 904and 908, the number of detecting elements is not limited to theillustrated four elements, but may also include a larger array as willenable the generation of unique responses for a larger number ofchallenge gas mixtures and concentrations.

Operating bias for the amplifying transistors of the detector elementsin the array 900 is established by the apparatus of block 910 in themanner shown in FIG. 1 herein. The operating bias signals arecommunicated to the detector element blocks by way of the path 932 whilethe excitation pulse signal for the N-detector element chemiresistorinterdigitated arrays is provided by the block 912 and the path 926.Signals from the pulse excitation source and the detector elements inthe array 900 are communicated by way of the multiconductor path 928 tothe electronic multiplexer circuit 914 where the signals from the pulseexcitation source and the individual detector elements are connected incontrolled sequence and time duration to a single output path, 930, forinput to the Fourier transform apparatus of block 916. The Fouriertransform apparatus, as identified for the block 314 in FIG. 3, may beused at 916 in FIG. 9, or alternately, this function may be embodied inthe form of software that is resident in a different type of firmwaresystem such as a computer as is known in the electronic signalprocessing art.

Control of the electronic multiplexer circuit 914 may be accomplished bya microprocessor circuit as shown in block 918 by way of the controlsignal path 932. The data representing the Fourier transformation of theexcitation pulse and the individual signals from the detector elementsof the array 900 may be communicated to this microprocessor 918 alongthe path 934 in order that the storage of the transformed signals andcomparison of the transformed signal waveforms with a memory residentlibrary of chemical spectra transform waveforms represented in the block924 is possible. The microprocessor calculates the normalized differenceFourier transform response and then tries to match this response withthose results stored in the library of responses.

Comparisons are made in the microprocessor 918 between the calculatednormalized difference Fourier transform waveforms received on the path934 and the normalized difference Fourier transform waveform spectradata of the memory library 924. Best fit identifications of the unknowngas in the challenge mixture, and additionally, the concentration of thegas components in the challenge gas mixture can be achieved as isindicated by the block 922. A combination of quantity, type identity,and duration of presence of the unknown gas in the challenge gas mixturecan be considered in generating the alarm trigger signal indicated inthe block 922. Dose calculation, as indicated in the block 920, may alsobe performed in the microprocessor 918 by way of longer termconsideration of both identity and time presence of a particular gascomponent in the challenge gas mixture.

In the FIG. 9 apparatus, it is desirable to first calculate thenormalized difference Fourier transform and obtain a result before theprocessed data is compared with the spectra stored in the library.

The herein disclosed sensor requires supporting electronic circuitrythat is, of course, more complicated than in the conventional directcurrent or single-frequency alternating current impedance based gaseouscomponent detecting apparatus. The required circuitry is, however,currently available in discrete integrated circuit form and can bereadily integrated into a small and unified design. For example, byfabricating the sensor of FIG. 1 using monolithic integrated circuittechnology, a diffused resistor acting as a heat source and a diodeacting as a temperature sensor could be utilized in combination toprovide the stable 125° C. thermostated sensor environment desiredherein. The FIG. 1 sensor therefore offers significant capabilities asan alternative technology for detecting a host of gaseous contaminantswhen coupled with an appropriate chemically-active film. The FIG. 1sensor concept can be extended as shown in FIG. 9 to an array ofdiscrete detector elements, with each detector element supporting adifferent chemically-active film, to be responsive to one or moredifferent gaseous species. A microprocessor using known addressing andcomputational software may be employed at 918 to control themultiplexing of sensor signals and for processing the discrete responsesof the sensors.

The microprocessor 918 in FIG. 9 may also be used in implementingpattern recognition software that is capable of performing the classicalpattern recognition and identification calculations using the normalizeddifference Fourier transform spectra that are calculated from thesignals received on the path 930 by using the library of comparisonnormalized difference Fourier transform spectra received from the block924. An algorithm suitable for use in performing this block 918 patternrecognition and identification function is, for example, disclosed in mymasters level academic thesis submitted to the U.S. Air Force Instituteof Technology, Electrical and Computer Engineering Department atWright-Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton, Ohio, under the title of"Computer Identification of Phonemes in Continuous Speech" and alsoidentified as AFIT-GE-EE-78-D-20 dated December 1978. This Thesis isalso available from the National Technical Information Service (NTIS)and the Defense Technical Information Center (DTIC) under the numberAD-A064058.

This thesis includes source code listings, in the Fortran language,which were originally used for pattern identifications in the speechrecognition art, but which are nevertheless, useful in otheridentification applications including the present Fourier transformgaseous component detection and identification function. The thesisdiscloses routines which enable the creation of a library offrequency-domain spectral data from calibration standards of selectedtime-domain signals. The thesis also illustrates use of this library viaa cross-correlation pattern recognition algorithm to search a giventime-domain signal that has been Fourier transformed in order todetermine if any of the stored library elements are contained in thegiven signal. A percent of confidence detection factor is generated inthe ensuing calculations. The program subroutines identified as followsare disclosed in this thesis document as separate routines that executein an ordered sequence with the output of one routine serving as theinput for a subsequently executing routine in accomplishing thiscross-correlation pattern recognition calculation:

    ______________________________________                                        1. OCTAVE 1                                                                              3. PUNCH    5. CRSCOR  7. DECIS                                    2. OCTAVE 2                                                                              4. PROAVE   6. FPLOT                                               ______________________________________                                    

The contents of this academic thesis, including the Fortran routines,are hereby incorporated by reference into the present document.

The Fourier transform of the chemically-induced impedance response ofthe thin film sensing elements and the resulting unique envelopes of thenormalized difference Fourier transform spectra are therefore hereinshown to generate usable distinguishing "fingerprints". This normalizedFourier transformed difference response is also shown to be indicativeof challenge gas concentrations. Additional specificity of theaccomplished identification is also possible with a microprocessorcontrolled multiplexed array of discrete detector elements.

I claim:
 1. Electronic gaseous component detecting and measuring apparatus comprising the combination of:a first array of electrical conductors disposed over the surface of an electrically insulating substrate member and connected to a first electrical terminal; a second array of electrical conductors disposed intermediate of said first array conductors on said electrically insulating substrate member and connected to a second electrical terminal; a chemically reactive gaseous component responsive polymeric thin film membrane member disposed over the surface of said substrate member and the conductors of said first and second arrays, the resistivity of said membrane member being determinative of the electrical conductivity between said first and second electrical terminals; a source of pulsed electrical energy series coupled with said electrical terminals and generating a pulsed conductivity modulated output signal from said membrane member; amplifying means series connected with said pulsed electrical energy source and said electrical terminals for enhancing said membrane member conductivity modulated pulsed electrical signal; Fourier transform means connected with the pulsed output signal of said amplifying means for spectral comparison identification and concentration quantification of unknown gaseous components.
 2. The detecting and measuring apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first array and second array conductors are disposed in an interdigitated matrix across a planar surface of said substrate member.
 3. The detecting and measuring apparatus of claim 1 wherein said amplifying means includes a field effect transistor disposed physically adjacent said conductor arrays and wherein the gate electrode of said transistor is connected with said second array second electrical terminal.
 4. The detecting and measuring apparatus of claim 3 wherein said field effect transistor is a metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor.
 5. The detecting and measuring apparatus of claim 1 wherein said polymeric thin film membrane is comprised of a metal-doped phthalocyanine semiconducting polymer.
 6. The detecting and measuring apparatus of claim 5 wherein said metal-doped phthalocyanine includes a dopant metal taken from the group consisting of silver, copper, cobalt, iron, magnesium, manganese, nickel, palladium, platinum, lead, sodium, and zinc.
 7. The detecting and measuring apparatus of claim 5 wherein said polymeric thin film membrane has a thickness between seventy and one thousand angstroms.
 8. The detecting and measuring apparatus of claim 1 further including temperature controlled heating means for maintaining the operating temperature of said thin film membrane in the range of one hundred twenty to one hundred fifty degrees centigrade.
 9. The detecting and measuring apparatus of claim 8 wherein said operating temperature is one hundred twenty five degrees centigrade.
 10. The detecting and measuring apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first and second arrays of electrical conductors are comprised of metallic gold.
 11. The detecting and measuring apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first and second arrays of electrical conductors are comprised of metallic aluminum.
 12. The detecting and measuring apparatus of claim 1 wherein said Fourier transform means includes means for calculating the frequency-spectrum of the pulsed electrical excitation signal connected with said first electrical terminal and of the pulsed output signals from said amplifying means.
 13. The detecting and measuring apparatus of claim 1 wherein said Fourier transform means also includes means for calculating the normalized difference between said pulsed frequency spectrums.
 14. The detecting and measuring apparatus of claim 1 wherein said pulsed electrical energy has a waveform of the impulse function type.
 15. The detecting and measuring apparatus of claim 1 wherein said Fourier transform means include a memory of gaseous compound normalized difference Fourier transform spectra data and means for comparing said memory spectra data with the normalized difference Fourier transform spectra data of an unknown gaseous component.
 16. Apparatus for monitoring gaseous concentrations in a challenge gas comprising the combination of:a gaseous sensor member having first and second interposed electrical conductors and an overlying chemically active polymeric thin film membrane member in electrical contact therewith, the instantaneous electrical impedance between said conductors being determined by the conductivity of said thin film membrane member; means for exposing said thin film membrane member to said challenge gas mixture; pulsed excitation voltage source means having a rich harmonic waveform content for energizing said sensor member; waveform analysis means including normalized difference Fourier transformation means for determining the spectral distribution of sensor member conductivity variation imposed modifications of said sourcing means signal in response to unknown challenge gas mixture exposure.
 17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said waveform analysis means includes an electronic amplifier circuit having a high impedance input port connected to receive said conductivity variation signals;whereby signal current flow in said membrane member is limited to the microampere and sub-microampere current range.
 18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein said waveform analysis means includes an electronic amplifier circuit having a field effect transistor amplifier circuit that is located physically adjacent said gaseous sensor member.
 19. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said pulsed excitation voltage source means output waveform is of the impulse function type.
 20. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein said pulsed excitation voltage source means waveform has an on duty cycle in the range between one and two percent.
 21. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said Fourier transformation means includes means for determining the normalized Fourier transformation of said pulsed excitation voltage source means output signal, means for determining the normalized Fourier transformation of said conductivity variation signal and means for subtracting the normalized spectral components of said Fourier transformations to generate a Fourier difference spectra.
 22. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein said waveform analysis means includes means for comparing and matching said Fourier difference spectra with a library of said spectra.
 23. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said gaseous sensor member conductors are comprised of interdigitated metallic finger electrodes spread across a planar substrate member.
 24. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said chemically active polymeric thin film is comprised of copper doped phthalocyanine polymer.
 25. Apparatus for identifying gaseous components comprising the combination of:a polymeric thin film chemical reaction modulated electrical resistance detecting element; means for exposing said detecting element to said gaseous components and to a preliminary sequence of purging and conditioning gases; electrical impulse emulating signal excitation means connected with said detecting element for generating a chemical reaction modulated sequence of output signals therefrom; Fourier transformation means for generating the normalized difference Fourier transform spectra of said electrical impulse signals and said chemical reaction modulated output signals; means for comparing said normalized difference Fourier transform spectra with the entries in a library of said normalized difference spectra and for identifying predetermined degrees of spectral match therein.
 26. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein said means for comparing further includes means responsive to the area beneath the plotted curve of said normalized difference Fourier transform spectra for determining the concentration of said gaseous component.
 27. The apparatus of claim 25 further including high-input impedance amplifier means disposed adjacent said detecting element and connected with said chemical reaction modulated sequence of output signals therefrom. 